What if we packed our luggage for a world trip?

This idea’s had me wondering for quite a while.

First inspired by meeting this family of 5, who stopped by Quito during their world travel. Do I want to do this?

Yes, I do…but cernainly not by the same means. They’re a big family traveling on a camper truck, which would not be practical for the two of us.

The second part of inspiration I got from The Little Traveler’s story and blog. Part of the inspiration comes from the fact that the little traveler’s mom is a single mom, like me. So why not?

My feet are ready to walk over unknow places, and I know my son shares my passion for travel. Then what are we wainting for?

Some concerns, but *just* concerns

Visas. If you hold a passport from Ecuador or another not so welcome country, you know what I’m talking about. We Ecuadorians need visa for lots of countries.

Although getting a visa for some countries is as easy as going to the embassy and pay a reasonable fee, for many others the requirements include an interview, afadavits of earnings and belongings, long waiting, and payment of high fees (weather you get the visa or not). This is very dissapointing for me, considering my age is one of the most rejected for a woman (31, single).  I’ve never been denied a visa, though.

I guess I should start by the few countries that don’t require visa for Ecuadorians, or even my own country that by the way is very diverse.

Other than that, I have a health concern. My son is very prone to cavities and we’re working on reestablishing his health balance with nutrition. I used to be a very ill person and now I’m in a process of recovering a healthy state thru nutrition and healthy living. So we’re not eating anywhere any kind of food (no junk food, for example). I don’t think this would be so hard to achieve while traveling, but it’d certainly would require additional expenses, extra luggage, and time dedication.

I’ve not mention other points to consider, as what my son’s dad would say about this.

I’ll keep planning …

and dreaming…

photo credit: greencandy8888

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Fieldtrips for kids of any age

My unschooled 4yo son and I are hooked with field trips. Well, I’m a Geographer and I took him to his first field trip when he was just 1 month old…and earlier while pregnant!

Fieldtrips are great for unschooling and homeschooling families to add some excitement and some real life learning experiences to the day. In fact our unschooling “curricula”, if any, is to have as much field trips as possible .

Fieldtrips are an excellent way to get out of the house, get some fresh air (not always true if you live in a polluted city, though), learn lots of new things, and interact with people of all ages and backgrounds. Here are some ideas for fieldtrips that could be adapted for kids of all ages:

Zoos, Wildlife Preserves, and National Parks – I’m not really into conventional Zoos, although there are many out there that work as animal shelters and are great places to visit with kids. Other great one-day-trip options are wildlife preserves and State Parks, which give children the opportunity to actually experience natural science first hand. If your city has a botanic garden, then write it down on your list of fieldtrip destinations. My little one loves to visit the Botanic Garden in Quito that we try to go at least once every two weeks.

Farms – Children and adults can learn about farming and agriculture first hand by visiting local farms. Many organic farms provide an opportunity for tours or for you to pick your own produce. If you’re not sure where to go, just ask the vendors at the organic markets and they might have some options for you.

Art Galleries – Most galleries are fine to visit with kids, even if they aren’t particularly interested in art. Many even have exhibits that feature the work of child artists. What we usually do is to walk along the rooms stopping when there’s something that catches our attention. It’s fine to just enter, go thru the gallery rather quickly and leave. This is what we do when any of us is not showing interest in staying longer.

Museums – Children of all ages usually enjoy quick visits to museums. History museums give them a look into mysterious times long ago. What child can resist a dinosaur, caveman, or ancient Egyptian exhibit? Science museums usually give children an opportunity to learn about science by seeing different scientific principles in practice. These museums also have seasonal exhibits that are worth to keep in your schedule.

Long walks to wherever – When out of ideas, you can just pack your lunch and walk with a destination of your choice. It could be grandma’s house, a park or a new metro station. In fact some “field trips” have turned so accidentally when I’ve gone out of money for the bus or when we’ve just kept walking instead of waiting for the bus. My son always tells about the day when we walked from the church to our old house, stopping to buy some fruits and vegetables. It turned to be one of his favorite memories.

Field trips destinations are not easy to find. So grab a city or town map and plan your next outing!

Basic Ingredients for a Money Wise Kitchen

Have you ever wondered how our ancestors managed to have complete and nutritious meals every day, without the modern access to ready made food and food preservation methods? Even in many places of the developing world there is no access to such food, many do not use large fridges, but fresh food is brought to their tables for every meal. In fact, I’m still amazed with the size of the shopping carts of many foreigners living in Ecuador, especially those coming from “modern” societies. Trust me, there’s a way to spend less and eat better if we learn from our ancestors and the people in traditional communities.

The items that we have on hand are what determine how far our food will go. Filling your pantry with a few key ingredients can make a difference on your ability to offer quality and varied meals for several days, without breaking the bank. Stocking just a few choice items is all you need to create wonderful meals.

1. Flour. This is a starter for several recipes. Flour is used to make bread (biscuits, rolls, loaves), to coat chicken, and even added to soups. It can also be used to coat a round or square cake pan to prevent the cake from sticking. The best way to get your flour is to grind your own grains using a mill. However, if this is not possible you can stock with whole grain flours for many uses.

2. Rice. When I lived in Japan I learnt that rice is a great ingredient to have on hand. Asian people have invented a myriad of recipes using rice, and it’s even present in the everyday lunch boxes (obento) in the form of onigiri and other delicious preparations. It could be prepared as a side dish, but it doesn’t always have to be plain. It can be jazzed up with veggies to accompany dinner. Sweet rice preparations are also delicious. A popular dessert is rice pudding. Rice can also be mixed with leftover meat and a cream soup to form a casserole. If you’ve not tried brown rice yet, maybe it’s time to give it a try. The nutritional benefits of going choosing brown
rice are worth the extra cooking time. Plus, cooked rice can be kept in the fridge (and even at room temperature in chilly days) for several days.

3. Pasta. There are many different pasta choices and all have great uses. Manicotti can be stuffed with tomato sauce and cheeses. Macaroni can be used to make a creamy salad and also is great combined with cheese or spaghetti sauce. Spiral pasta is used in many different pasta salads. Spaghetti can be used in a casserole topped with cheese or in the traditional way with tomato sauce and meat. I’d love to start making our own pasta. It doesn’t seem to be so difficult anyways. If buying, chose pasta made from whole ingredients.

4. Spices. There are other ways to season food besides salt and pepper. In fact, many spices taste better than salt. Cayenne pepper, chili powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, thyme, oregano, ginger, and garlic powder are all useful tools in your flavor arsenal to give foods a fresh new taste. Also, small amounts of marine salt are good for our health. It’s a good idea to buy them in bulk and stock them for several months. Just check how much you can save by doing this. You can also try to buy in bulk with a friend and divide the costs.

5. Beans. They can top your salad (edamame), make an awesome dip (black beans), and go well with grilled foods (baked beans). They provide a good source of protein with very little fat. Beans are good in soups, stews, and over rice for a simple yet filling meal. Just don’t forget to soak your beans overnight before cooking. If grandmothers did it, there must be a good reason (in fact there is: nutrients are better absorbed this way.)

6. Fermented food. Almost every culture have their traditional fermented food. Fermentation is a preservation method that is actually good for our health. Try fermenting pastured fed milk into yogurt and it could be kept for over a week in the fridge. Fermented vegetables go great with meat, rice and even alone as an entrée. Most fermented vegetables get better with time, so you can stock them in glass jars for several months.

Do you have these staples in your kitchen? You may be able to come up with several others that will enhance your pantry and save money. Start with these and grow your own list of basic kitchen staples that are versatile, healthy, and economical. photo credit: star5112

Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions is a great source of traditional and fermented food recipes, as well as of information on good nutrition. Not to be missed.

photo credit: Arria Belli

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